The New England Patriots surprised the New York Jets with a 10-3 victory on Sunday, thanks to Marcus Jones’ 84 yard punt return for a touchdown, which left only five seconds on the clock.
It was the only touchdown scored on a day when defense was mostly the story. Matthew Judon continued his seismic start to the season so far, and the Jets were held in check with just 103 total yards on offense.
The Patriots improved to 6-4 on the season and swept a division rival in the process. Not only did the victory elevate them in the AFC East standings, but it also improved their overall standing in the NFL playoff picture.
Here are some leftover notes from the game.
1. Offensive line has been a rollercoaster all season, and things are getting worse.
The offensive line has been a turnstile all season, as Mac Jones has been pressured on almost every snap he has taken—or so it feels. The inconsistent play has really been detrimental to the offensive efficiency, and in Sunday’s game, it cost at least six points with mindless penalties and sacks late in drives.
To make things worse, an already lackluster offensive line will likely be without David Andrews for the remainder of the season and without Isaiah Wynn for an extended period of time. Trent Brown was also dealing with an illness this week, and Cole Strange has struggled since his early showcase. Mike Onwenu and Andrews have been solid but relying on just Onwenu to now fix the issue is a lot to ask.
The Patriots need to address the offensive line depth, but there aren’t many options out there. In 2023, the Patriots should be using their first round selection on yet another offensive lineman.
And before anyone says anything, how are they supposed to develop Jones at quarterback, when the protection isn’t good enough to give him the needed time to even process? The Patriots need to drastically improve the offensive line to give the team a real shot at making waves.
2. Offense is continuing to build continuity, but the play-calling has been irritating at times.
The offense has started to find it’s form slowly but has yet to capitalize when they should. The Patriots are dealing with some questionable play-calls at times—like after an eight-yard catch on first down, followed by two rushes (one a QB sneak on second down) for one yard.
You get the picture.
The play-calling has cost the Patriots some easy points, and the absence of Josh McDaniels is starting to be felt. New England has the talent to at least be a top-15 offense, but they are currently playing as what feels like a bottom-five offense.
The players are building continuity with each other after the bye week, but it just feels very bland on offense and too predictable. It also seems like it’s destroying the confidence of the players. As the season rolls on, the defense can only do so much. Eventually, the Patriots will need to score on their own and not rely on special teams or turnovers to score for them.
3. Sorry Damien, Rhamondre is here to stay
Even with a fantastic game from Damien Harris, the offense seemed to flow better with Rhamondre Stevenson on the field. Stevenson was the team’s leading receiver and is a tough back to bring down when the ball is in his hands.
After Harris had some weeks to rest and recover from his injury, he looked back to true form with 65 yards on just eight carries, while also coming down with two catches for 28 yards. Even though Harris played a well-balanced game, the eye test of Stevenson stood out.
Stevenson’s ability in the passing game and prowess as a runner should confuse and draw attention from opposing defenses down the stretch. As much as I would like Harris to stay as a featured back, there is a chance that he leaves to a running back-hungry team in the offseason. I don’t think New England will pay more than $4 million per year for Harris to accept a new role as an RB2.
